Confederate General; Battle of the Crater; Readjuster Party; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
William Mahone was a railroad engineer, a Confederate General, and a hero in the Battle of the Crater, July 30, 1864. After the Civil War he was one of the people who helped establish the Readjuster Party. The Party's support of the public...
Mills; Pre-Civil War; Industrial History; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
This is a view of Fleets Hill in 1883, as seen from Petersburg across the Appomattox River. This picture shows some of the many mills operating from water power along the Appomattox in Ettrick and Petersburg from the mid-1840s through the 1890s.
Slave; African American; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
Henry Johnson was born a slave around 1835 on the Fleet Plantation. He later became the butler at the Fleet Plantation house. After the Civil War Mr. Johnson became a wagoner.
Henry Johnson; Malinda Johnson; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
The home was built by Henry Johnson in 1865 after the end of the Civil War on Rome Street in Petersburg, VA. Henry Johnson had been born a slave on the old Fleet Plantation, now the site of Virginia State University. The house is still standing.
Slave; African American; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
Malinda Johnson was from Petersburg, VA. She was a slave, property of a Major P. Branch. She married Henry Johnson and in 1854 gave birth to William Henry Johnson, their only child.
African American; Freed slave; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
Rosetta McCray was born a slave in Petersburg, Virginia. Her father John McCray was able to acquire her freedom in the 1840s. She married John Henry Hill and bore two children before leaving Petersburg for Canada. While there, their two sons...
Freedom fighter; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
John Henry Hill was born a slave in King and Queen County, Virginia, in March 1828. He escaped from the institution of slavery in 1853 and fled to Canada. He was very active in the Underground Railroad movement in Canada. After the Civil War...
Politician; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
Alfred W. Harris was a member of the House of Delegates from 1881-1888. He presented the Bill to establish Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute now Virginia State University.
Politician, Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
William Nash Stevens was a member of the group of African American Legislators who presented a number of bills in February of 1882. The honorable William Nash Stevens presented the bill to move the "COLORED" insane asylum to Dinwiddie.
Black Militia; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
When the cornerstone for the main building was laid in July of 1883, there was a program which included a parade to the campus by different organizations. Included in this parade were several of the black militia units. The unit shown here was...
Members of Senate; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
Member of the Virginia Senate 1871-1873, and again from 1877-1887. He represented York County. He was also a member of the First Board of Visitors of Virginia State University and the first treasurer.
Newspaper Editor; Priest; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
George Freeman Bragg, Jr., was the twenty-year-old editor of the "Petersburg Lancet" when the cornerstone was laid for the new college in July 1883. His eighteen-year-old sister Carrie, was among the sixty-two students present on opening...
African American; Principal; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
Ida M. Harris was the first female administrator at what is now Virginia State University. She was originally from Fairfax County, Virginia. She was very involved in the development of African American Education in Virginia after the War of the...
African American; Educator; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
He was the first science teacher at the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute now Virginia State University. Mr. Colson was an 1883 graduate of Dartmouth College. He served as acting principal in 1885 replacing the first principal James...
African American; Legislator; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
Delegate Peter J. Carter 1844-1888, was born a slave in Northhampton County, Virginia. He was elected first Rector of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute on February 15, 1883.
Daniel Barclay Williams was the first professor of classical languages at the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, having been hired in 1885. He was a native of Richmond, VA, and a graduate of Brown University. Professor Williams authored...
College Seal; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
This original seal first appeared in 1885; but was never officially adopted as the school seal. However, elements of this unofficial seal were incorporated into the seal that was officially adopted and used from 1914 to 1991.
College President; Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
John Mercer Langston was the first president of what is now Virginia State University. He was the third head of the institution, following principals, James Storum and James M. Colson Jr. He served in office from January 1, 1886 - December 31,...
